COVID-19 Pandemic and the Developmental Health of Kindergarteners

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2830940?guestAccessKey=c2731a43-49f8-43ea-8abd-bcb09d279ee1&utm_term=031025&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_medium=referral&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_PMJDK0c34KS5hmyuBEmo8nTywrE4D069T-sXml5SFlXbXqs-UVOuXyFT86SWs8dhPHP_HaymhjW3Snx2U7dhS9F3voQ&_hsmi=351081588&utm_content=tfl&utm_source=for_the_media How did kindergarteners fare in the pandemic? Five years ago today, the WHO declared Covid-19 a pandemic. Today, JAMA Pediatrics published a study on how kindergarteners fared during that time. The study found that young children suffered when it came to language and cognitive development, social competence, communication skills, and general knowledge. Using data on more than 548,000 kindergarteners in 19 states from 2010 to 2023, the researchers found that assessment scores were already decreasing across all categories before the pandemic. But compared to the three years immediately beforehand, scores from 2021 to 2023 were significantly worse in the categories above. Interestingly, scores for emotional maturity were higher during the pandemic. Scores for physical health and well-being were unchanged.